Did you know that the Guinness Book of Records was invented to settle an argument!
In May 1951, then managing director of the Guinness Breweries, Irishman Sir Hugh Beaver, went out bird shooting party in County Wexford, Ireland and ended up in an argument about which was the fastest game bird in Europe.
Refusing to let the matter rest he found no book to refer to for an answer. Realising that others must have similar arguments, particularly in pubs, he decided that a book supplying the answers to both the bird question and others was required.
Another Guinness employee recommended brothers Ross & Norris McWhirter to assist him as they had achieved a reputation at the time, of being excellent fact-finders. A few years later in 1954 the brothers had eventually compiled a book known as "The Guinness Book of Records" and printed out 1000 copies to be given away for free.
However, the book became a British best-seller by Christmas 1955. Beaver remarked that "It was a marketing give away—it wasn't supposed to be a money maker". In 1956 it was then launched in North America and sold 70,000 copies, before the full extent of its popularity was realised and the decision was made to produce a new, updated version every year from then on.
In May 1951, then managing director of the Guinness Breweries, Irishman Sir Hugh Beaver, went out bird shooting party in County Wexford, Ireland and ended up in an argument about which was the fastest game bird in Europe.
Another Guinness employee recommended brothers Ross & Norris McWhirter to assist him as they had achieved a reputation at the time, of being excellent fact-finders. A few years later in 1954 the brothers had eventually compiled a book known as "The Guinness Book of Records" and printed out 1000 copies to be given away for free.
However, the book became a British best-seller by Christmas 1955. Beaver remarked that "It was a marketing give away—it wasn't supposed to be a money maker". In 1956 it was then launched in North America and sold 70,000 copies, before the full extent of its popularity was realised and the decision was made to produce a new, updated version every year from then on.
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